Of all the vintage-dated Champagnes I’ve tasted this year, time and again, wines from 2012 are true standouts—it’s an undoubtedly great vintage (it got a perfect 5/5 from Decanter magazine), and we’d all be wise to stock up on as many 2012s as possible, as they’re primed to wow us over the next decade-plus. My advice would be to start with this exceptionally well-priced, beautifully detailed
millésime from Domaine Francis Orban.
Close readers will recognize this tiny
récoltant-manipulant (grower-producer) as a Pinot Meunier specialist in the Vallée de la Marne, but today’s ’12 showcases mostly Chardonnay (80%), with Meunier playing an important, amplifying supporting role. In a vintage that Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon of Louis Roederer said was “probably better than 1996,” Orban delivered a stunner that somehow comes in under $70 (whereas Roederer’s Cristal will set you back $250+). And on top of all that, this wine is effectively a SommSelect exclusive: We loved it so much we locked up the majority of what made it to the states, so don’t expect to see it on a store shelf near you. So, the only thing left to do is peel off some of our limited stock for yourself—up to six bottles per person until it’s gone!
Francis Orban is a fast-rising star around here: Last January, we secured a tiny allocation of the domaine’s breathtaking expression of 100% Pinot Meunier—an Extra Brut that for me called to mind the powerful “Les Vignes de Vrigny” from Egly-Ouriet, a Champagne familiar to most SommSelect readers. The similarities were striking, except in price—Orban is a veritable steal. And in years when Orban declares a vintage, the quality-to-price ratio for his millésime (vintage-dated) wine is off the charts.
Orban farms 18 acres of vines in the Vallée de la Marne villages of Leuvrigny and Sainte-Gemme, two prized sources for Krug. Incredibly, 90% of Oban’s plantings are dedicated to Meunier. But with this Millésime 2012, he puts Chardonnay front and center, as it comprises 80% of the blend, which is impressive considering he farms just under two acres of Chardonnay.
Established in 1929, Orban became one of the very first grower-producers in the aforementioned village of Leuvrigny and they’ve since continued that tradition for four generations. Located on the Seine River’s left (south) bank, or ‘Rive Gauche,’ this clay-rich terroir is best-suited for Meunier. Francis’ vines here, and in Sainte-Gemme, a village located on the opposite bank, are roughly 40 years old and farmed sustainably. After hand-harvesting, grapes are gently layered in a traditional Coquard press, and then both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel vats. The 2012 was aged on its lees for more than six years and received a tiny dosage of three to four grams per liter.
After nearly seven years of development, Orban's 2012 is singing: creamy, yet assertive, with precise beading, candied apricot, and toasty hazelnut aromas lead to copious savory spices wrapped in a full-bodied package that delivers richness and balance. I was floored by it, and only wish I had more to go around. Luxurious and supple on entry, this full-bodied Champagne perfectly reflects the richness of the warm vintage, leading with savory tobacco spices, ripe orchard and stone fruits, lemon cream, and hints of vanilla as it glides to a balanced, persistent finish. The 20% Pinot Meunier adds another layer of wild strawberry or underripe blueberry skin and just a whisper of tannin. I’d strongly encourage a generous pour from the bottle into all-purpose glasses to let the bubbles dissipate over 15-20 minutes as it rises a few degrees, warming and revealing a glass reminiscent of a complex white Burgundy. Enjoy it with a spread of fresh winter vegetables, or alongside a creamy risotto or with pan-seared diver scallops.
